Speechless
by JojoLightningfingers
Summary: Marth decided to take pity on him. After all, he couldn't speak. MarthLink.


**Time for something a bit out-of-the-blue. MarthLink. YEP.**

**This isn't meant to be good, so no flames please! I want only happy reviews!**

* * *

He had never been much for words. Never needed them, really. He spoke with his expressions, his eyes, his body. Link had known that communicating with the other Smashers would be a problem. He had no friends here, nothing. He was alone.

It was the second season of the tournament – Melee, he had overheard Master Hand calling it. Link sat on a bench in the courtyard, watching the new arrivals stream in. It was without much enthusiasm that he saw Ganondorf and Bowser come in. He perked up a bit when he saw Zelda, but not by much. Then came a pair of parka-wearing midgets with hammers, a younger version of himself, a smaller version of Pikachu, and what looked like Mario in a lab coat. A blue birdman and a flying cat-like creature came next. Link picked out a paperthin black thing and the princess of Mushroom Kingdom.

Link sighed and let his mind wander as the new Smashers entered the building. A slightly angry voice distracted him. "Roy, I said I didn't want – hey! Put me down!"

The elf glanced up. A tall, blue-haired boy wrestled with a shorter, grinning redhead for posession of a suitcase. The blue-hair finally yanked it away and flicked his sweaty bangs out of his face in irritation. He walloped the redhead with the bag and walked archly into the Mansion. Roy tagged along behind, rubbing his head, but smirking.

Ignoring the rest of the new arrivals, the blonde got up and followed after the other two swordsmen. He quickly located the pair at a table, waiting to be registered for the tournament. Without really knowing why, he walked up to them.

_I want to say hi_, Link thought. He quietly tapped the blue-haired boy in the shoulder. He turned in puzzlement, staring at Link full in the face.

"Yes? What do you want?" he asked in a voice like silk. The teen's blue eyes glittered like liquid sapphires.

Link's throat tightened. He tried to speak, but he was mute. It wasn't that his vocal cords were shot or anything, it was just that he didn't know how to talk. He waved shyly instead.

The teen's face softened. "Hello," he said.

The redhead next to him seized Link's hand. Slightly afraid, he tried to snatch it back, but the boy wouldn't let go. "Hi! I'm new here, my name is Roy. What's yours?" The swordsman shook his hand vigorously. The Hylian could only blink.

"Don't be rude, Roy," the blue-hair chastised, slapping their hands apart. He turned his attention to Link. "I'm sorry about him, he's just... eager. My name is Marth. Marth Lowell." He held his hand out with a faint smile.

Not sure what else to do, Link took it in his own and shook briefly. _My name is Link,_ he wanted to say, but he couldn't.

"Are you new too? Or were you here before?" asked Roy. He poked the tip of one of Link's ears curiously. The Hylian fidgeted, but didn't answer.

Marth rolled his eyes and grabbed Roy by the cape, pulling him away from the now-blushing Hero of Time. "Honestly, Roy, behave yourself."

"Sorry," the redhead grumbled.

"What's your name?" Marth asked kindly.

Feeling like a total idiot, Link averted his gaze to the floor. _What was I thinking?_

"Where did you come from?"

He remained silent. _Hyrule,_ he longed to say, but he didn't. He looked up and pointed at the pair, hoping to get his message through.

"Where do _we_ come from?"

Link nodded.

"I'm from Altea. My friend Roy comes from Pherae. What about you?" Marth looked at him expectantly.

Burning with shame, he tapped his throat, then his mouth, shaking his head.

Marth looked at him funnily. "You... can't speak?" When Link nodded, his expression changed into one of sympathy. "I'm sorry for you."

Roy pulled at Marth's cape. "Come on, we have to register." He waved at Link. "See you later... elf guy." Dragging Marth with him, he went to the booth. The blue-hair glanced at Link and waved.

Link waved back, smiling. _See you later... Marth._

* * *

The next day, the blue-hair approached him before lunch. "You know, if you want, I could teach you to speak."

The Hylian blinked. _You'd do that for me?_

"Would you like me to?"

* * *

"Repeat after me," Marth instructed. "'The swift brown fox jumped over the lazy dog,'" he enunciated clearly.

"Thee... swift braun fox jummed ofer the lazy dog," Link tried. He would have said it almost hurt to talk. His throat tingled when he did, but there was no pain. His voice was nice, he decided, but not nearly as nice as the prince's.

"Not bad. You just missed a few sounds, that's all. Try again." The lord rested his head on the chair.

"The swift brown fox jumped over the lazy dog," said Link slowly.

"Perfect!"

"Puffeckt," he mumbled.

"Almost, you have to add the 'r' sound."

"Perfect."

"It is at that." The Altean nodded in approval. "Do you remember the day I came here?"

"Two... weeks ago? Yes," Link replied, just because he could.

"Could you tell me your name now?"

"My name is Link," said the Hylian. He was delighted to find that he didn't trip over any of the syllables.

"Link... that's a nice name." Marth stretched and yawned. "Break for the day? It's almost lunch, and I have a match today."

"Okay." The hero got up and headed for the door. At the doorframe, he paused, leaned on it, and sighed. "Marth," he said.

The prince glanced up at him. "Yes?"

Link turned to face him, smiling warmly. "Thank you."

Smiling back, Marth placed a hand on his shoulder. "Anytime."

* * *

_That was four months ago,_ Link reflected, gazing at the picture of himself, Marth, and Roy on the bedside table. _The day he offered to help me speak. I owe everything to him._

Even so, there were three words that he wasn't able to say.

_I love you. I wish I could tell you, but I'm too scared of what you would say._

He turned it over in his head, trying to figure out somehow to let him know. He'd had many opportunities to make his affections known, but he'd ignored them, telling himself to wait.

Troubled by his inability to speak, Link crept out of the room that he shared with Mewtwo, closing the door behind him. Before he knew it, the Hylian found himself outside, in the garden, letting the night air cool him down. The elf stopped at the fountain. There was someone sitting on the ledge.

He moved closer, his boots clunking on the stone pathway. The figure looked up. "Who's there?"

The elf's breath hitched. He'd konw that voice anywhere. "Marth?"

"Link?"

"What are you doing out so late?"

The blonde came to a stop in front of the noble. "Couldn't sleep."

"Me either." The lord rested his head on his hand.

Link shuffled in silence for a moment, wrestling with his dilemma. Summoning his courage, he said, "Marth, I have something to tell you."

"Yeah?"

"I..." The elf's throat constricted; he swore internally. Why did this always happen? "I..."

"What?"

Finally, Link gave up. He'd never been much for words. Before Marth could react, the Hylian bent over and pecked him quickly on the lips. He came up with his face red.

Marth blinked as his face slowly colored, relization crashing down on him.

"I... love you," the Hylian forced out. Relief shot through him as soon as he said it.

The boy didn't answer.

"...Sorry." Link turned to go. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Wait."

Link halted, unsure of what to do.

"I've been meaning to tell you the same thing, but... I could never seem to find the strength or courage to do it." The prince grabbed his tunic.

Link turned around. Marth's eyes beckoned him; he bent slightly and locked lips with the Altean. Eyes closed, he brushed his hand down the front of Marth's tunic, unbuttoning it and sliding it down his pale, thin shoulders.

Link broke the kiss. "Thank you for teaching me to talk. Now I can say the things that I've wanted to say to you for a long time."

Marth leaned up, wrapped his arms around the Hylian, and brushed his mouth across Link's throat. "Don't mention it." He kissed the blonde with fervor, and Link was speechless once more.

* * *

**Speechless meaning mute. It's just poking fun at him. Haha. :P**


End file.
